WAG Still struggling to understand this new level 6 for next year

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LizzieLac

Proud Parent
Ok, so I know that the details are still being figured out, but I just can't get my brain around this new optional level 6 for next year. I looked at some of the material USAG has put out and it seems like the are looking for 5 A skills and 1 B skill for the new level 6. Based on my little knowledge a routine could be created for the new level 6 that is not much different skill-wise from the current level 6

So, with the exception of creating their own routines, what will the gymmies be doing that is so different?

Yes, I admit that I believe DD could do the new 6. Even though she competed two level 6 meets this year, she is still a level 5 since she has no qualifying score (scratched vault). It just seems to me that competent level 5s could make that jump to new level 6 but USAG isn't really making a path (unless you score out of new level 5 next year first).

By way of background, DD is a 2nd year level 5. Her first year was fine. Scored mid-33s at the start and mid-35s at the end of last year. Coach wanted her and all of the level 5s to repeat as they were trying to catch up with uptraining on a previous year with no uptraining (long story for another day).

So, this year has won or came in 2nd every meet at level 5, scoring mid-36s to mid-37s. High scores of 9.65 on bars, 9.4 on beam, 9.8 on floor, and 9.1 on vault (her weakness - also a long story).

Coach let a few of the girls compete 2 level 6 meets but scratch vault so as not to qualify for level 6 states (I mentioned this in another thread). DD did great, as did most of the girls. 1st meet: 8.65 bars, 9.375 beam, and 9.075 floor. This was a high scoring meet but still got her 8th on bars, 6th on floor, and 3rd on beam.

2nd level 6 meet - scored pretty hard. Many, many bars scores in the 5s and 6s and I thought for sure she would be lucky to get a 7. She scored 8.05 (8th place). Beam was the most beautiful thing with no mistakes until she messed up the dismount and got 8.5 (8th) and 9.175 on foor (3rd).

Her uptraining this season really seems to be a success. Has added BWOSO on low beam, back LO on floor, working on FHS-FHS and FHS-FT (still has some work to do), and giants in straps (although is has now been awhile so she may have "lost it").

With a whole summer of training I believe that she would be more than competent at new level 6, but without the mobility score now, we would have to convince coach to let her score out of new 5 in the fall (after learning a whole new routine) and then learn her optional routines. That sounds like a tall order that I am not sure the coaches would embrace, but to me the skills for the new 6 are not that far off from the current 6. Am I wrong about that??
 
I have seen several girls easily learn the current L6 routine in a couple of weeks, go to a score out meet in the fall and then learn their optional routines and compete optionals in winter/spring. If a gymnast is a strong enough gymnast to easily score out, it is not like they have to learn every little detail of the routines as they can easily hit that 31 score even with numerous "text" errors. And optional routines do not take long at all to learn since they are tailored to the gymnast.
As far as skills being similar to the current L6 it will really depend on what "special requirements" are required.
 
Other coaches feel free to chime in but in my understanding if your daughter did as you suggest and skip to the new level six it would be much like skipping from level 5 to level 7. Don't get stressed out by the renaming of the levels. She is still moving up by going to the new level 5.
 
The other thing to keep in mind is that the new 6 is not a required level, so your gym may plan to have girls compete new 5 this year and then go to new 7 the next year.
 
The other thing to keep in mind is that the new 6 is not a required level, so your gym may plan to have girls compete new 5 this year and then go to new 7 the next year.

That's a good point. I guess that is the other thing that is bothering me - I have no idea what the gym plans to do. I am not being critical of them because I know the workshops and such don't start until May after spring states. And, the coaches probably need to formulate their approach to this.

I guess my question is whether the new level 6 is really that much "harder" than the current level 6 in terms of likely skills. I *think* DD would be capable at new level 6 given the moderate success she had at just 2 level 6 meets this year, but I am not sure.

Maybe coaches could weigh in. Thanks!
 
The other thing to keep in mind is that the new 6 is not a required level, so your gym may plan to have girls compete new 5 this year and then go to new 7 the next year.
The way I'm seeing it, the NEW 6 will be sort of used like the prep op levels are currently used by some teams as an "intermediate" level. The ideal will be for kids to go from NEW 5 to NEW 7, with the NEW 6 (like current prep op) available for kids who struggle with a few skills but are still beyond NEW 5 and ready for optional skills. Goodness, these level changes would be easier if they changed them all together instead of just skewing the numbering system. This old/new stuff gets me every time. So sorry for the all caps, it's just the only way I can keep myself on track.
 
Any possibility that HC would let those girls go to a level 6 meet AFTER states to score out? That, at least, leaves their options open. At that point, they could compete new level 5, 6, or 7, depending on where their skills are come meet season. I bet there will be more post-season meets than normal for just this reason, especially in states like yours where they can't compete at level 5 states if they qualified for level 6 states (that is not this case in our state... we have a girl on DD's team who qualified for level 8 states but will be competing at level 7 states... not so that she can blow everyone out of the water, but because she developed a bunch of fears all of a sudden including "losing" her giants).
 
I imagine quite a few gyms will be bringing in judges for in-house meets or small local meets over the course of the late spring/early summer to make sure all needed mobility scores are in place to land girls in the appropriate level come next season. It's not uncommon for gyms to take girls from level 5 to level 7 under the current system (with just the level 6 mobility score), so all of those gyms will be in the same boat that your DD is in.
 
I imagine quite a few gyms will be bringing in judges for in-house meets or small local meets over the course of the late spring/early summer to make sure all needed mobility scores are in place to land girls in the appropriate level come next season.
There's a local meet being advertised as being for the purposes of obtaining scores before the level changes. It's after states, regionals, etc, and it's dirt cheap. Especially for level 6, it seems prudent to go ahead and score out, given that 6 has the most flexibility going into the new levels.
 
There's a local meet being advertised as being for the purposes of obtaining scores before the level changes. It's after states, regionals, etc, and it's dirt cheap. Especially for level 6, it seems prudent to go ahead and score out, given that 6 has the most flexibility going into the new levels.

Where is this meet being held?

I think the scoring out to move to new level 6 will take a discussion with the coach. My DD is a good solid and very hardworking gymnast, but it would be like skipping a level and we don't tend to do that unless the gymnast is exceptional. That's why I feel like I need to understand how much of a step up new 6 will be from old 6.
 
She needs to score out of level 6 before August when the new structure kicks in. Once she has scored out of curren level 6, she has options to compete new 5 (old 6), new 6 or 7. Sounds like from her scores she can do it, the vault is the same as level 5.
 
We are scoring our L5s out of L6 at the end of the season. Those who make it will train over the summer before HC makes a decision about new L6 or new L7.

Was it this thread that talked about the "sweet spot" that is L6 this year because of their options? Whether it is or not, that statement is the TRUTH!
 

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